"This thing is forged from Sekkiseki, which can isolate and decompose Reiatsu."
"Ichigo already knows this, right?"
"Yeah, probably..."
Kurosaki Ichigo scratched the back of his head, his voice clearly lacking confidence. He had indeed heard Rukia's older brother mention something about a "Seki-something stone" or whatever.
But at the time, his head was filled with the thought of 'I can't let them take Rukia.' Those details hadn't registered at all. Now that he was being asked, all he had left was a blurry impression.
"Actually, it's not just made of Sekkiseki."
"There's also a special material that can store Furyoku."
His gaze swept over Arisawa Tatsuki, Sado Yasutora, and Inoue Orihime.
"The Furyoku crystals I gave you were extracted from it and modified by that guy over there."
He tilted his chin toward a certain direction.
Urahara Kisuke was leaning against a door pillar, fanning himself with that folding fan he never let go of.
Seeing everyone look over, he grinned, flashing a smile that was punchable no matter how you looked at it, and even wagged his finger at them as if showing off.
"And inside this—" Asakura Yoh paused, his voice dropping slightly.
"Is the Furyoku I've been continuously pouring in for nearly six years."
As those words landed, the air seemed to go still for a moment.
"So, by continuously outputting Furyoku, I can keep my soul in a state of constant enhancement. This way, even though my soul hasn't left my body, the spiritual aura is enough to completely mask the physical form..."
As he spoke, his voice gradually slowed down.
Because he realized that aside from Ishida Uryu, who was deep in thought, and Urahara Kisuke, who had already figured it out, everyone else's expression screamed one thing—confusion.
Arisawa Tatsuki's brows were knit into a knot, and Sado Yasutora remained expressionless, though his eyes had glazed over. Inoue Orihime was listening intently, but the way she blinked every now and then showed she hadn't understood much either.
Kurosaki Ichigo was the most honest; the perplexity on his face was practically overflowing.
Asakura Yoh sighed.
"Anyway—"
"It's about putting yourself in a state where... even though you're alive, you're also a bit 'dead.' Does that make sense?"
No sooner had the words left his mouth than Kurosaki Ichigo slapped his palms together, the confusion on his face vanishing instantly.
"Oh—!"
He nodded vigorously, looking like he'd just had an epiphany.
"So basically, everything's fine, right?"
Asakura Yoh stared at him for two seconds.
"...Right."
He looked away, deadpan.
He hadn't wanted to explain in the first place, but they'd forced his hand. Now, after explaining for so long, it felt like he hadn't explained anything at all.
A faint sigh came from Ishida Uryu in the corner.
'Are these people actually reliable...?'
Urahara Kisuke fanned himself even more vigorously.
"Alright, alright, since everyone understands—"
He drawled, straightening up from the pillar, his tone suddenly becoming a bit more serious.
"What I'm about to say next is very important, so don't zone out."
Everyone's expressions tensed.
Urahara Kisuke walked up to the Senkaimon.
"Once you enter the Senkaimon, you cannot exceed four minutes."
His voice wasn't loud, but every word was articulated clearly.
"Once you exceed that time limit, the Senkaimon will automatically close. At that point, you will be trapped in the Dangai forever."
The word "forever" made the air turn a few degrees colder.
"The Dangai is filled with distorted time and chaotic flows of Reishi," Urahara Kisuke added, his tone still casual, but no one thought it was trivial.
The group fell silent for a moment.
Then, a voice broke the silence.
"Hmph—!"
That cold snort was filled with disdain, as if some grand figure was about to make an entrance.
"Brats, keep up. If you fall behind, I'm not looking out for you."
The air froze.
Several people's expressions simultaneously froze in shock.
"The cat..."
"THE CAT TALKED—!!??"
He, Sado Yasutora, Ishida Uryu, and Arisawa Tatsuki all cried out at once, their voices bouncing around the underground space and creating an echo.
The black cat sat on the ground, unhurriedly licking its paw. It was as black as ink, with only its golden eyes narrowed into slits, seemingly enjoying the group's shocked reactions.
Kurosaki Ichigo's jaw nearly hit the floor. Sado Yasutora's pupils dilated slightly, Ishida Uryu subconsciously took half a step back, and Arisawa Tatsuki's eyes were wide with shock.
The only one who didn't know but wasn't startled was Inoue Orihime.
She tilted her head, blinking her large eyes with a calm expression as if seeing an ordinary kitten on the street.
In her mind—which worked a bit differently from others—the idea of a talking cat seemed perfectly normal.
"Mr. Kitty, what's your name?"
Her voice was soft, carrying a natural sense of friendliness.
The black cat stopped licking its paw and looked up at her with its golden eyes.
"My name is Yoruichi."
Its voice was a bit gentler than before.
"You're not bad, little girl. Not like those useless fellows over there—it's just a cat speaking the human tongue, what's there to be so surprised about?"
Despite its words, a flash of smugness crossed Yoruichi's golden eyes. The tip of its tail twitched slightly, looking satisfied like a successful prankster.
"Alright."
Yoruichi's voice suddenly deepened, and the playful atmosphere dissipated.
It stood up, its four paws planted firmly on the ground, golden eyes scanning everyone.
"Do not waver. Do not fear. Do not stop. Do not look back. And do not think about what you leave behind."
Its voice wasn't loud, yet it possessed a power that made it impossible to look away.
"Simply—keep moving forward."
The feline pupils glowed slightly in the dim light.
"Only those who can do that are fit to follow me."
It said this as its gaze lingered on Kurosaki Ichigo for a moment.
"What kind of talk is that?"
Kurosaki Ichigo took a step forward.
"Anyone who came here at a time like this has already made up their mind."
He met Yoruichi's gaze directly, without flinching.
Yoruichi narrowed its eyes.
"You should be well aware, brat," its voice dropped an octave, "if you lose—you're never coming back."
"Then I'll just have to win!"
His voice wasn't loud, but it was like a pebble dropped into still water, sending ripples through everyone's hearts.
Yoruichi stared at him for a few seconds.
Then, an expression that could only be described as "satisfied" slowly appeared on its furry feline face.
"...Well said!"
It turned around, its tail held high.
"Then follow me."
Kurosaki Ichigo was the first to walk in. His silhouette vanished into the light, as if swallowed by something.
The others followed closely behind.
Finally, only Asakura Yoh remained.
He watched as the group's figures disappeared into the Senkaimon. Just as the Reishi Converter was being dismantled and he was about to follow, a voice came from behind.
"Mr. Asakura."
Asakura Yoh stopped and looked back.
Urahara Kisuke stood a few paces away. His fan was closed for once, held tightly in his hand.
His expression was still as nonchalant as ever, but the eyes beneath the brim of his hat were as sharp as a scalpel, piercing through the surface.
"What is it?"
Asakura Yoh's tone was flat.
Urahara Kisuke didn't speak immediately. He just looked at Asakura Yoh, his gaze dissecting him layer by layer.
"We won't become enemies... right?"
Asakura Yoh's eyes narrowed slightly.
He hadn't expected Urahara Kisuke to ask such a question at a time like this.
"Who knows."
His tone was casual, as if discussing something trivial.
"Even if we did—haven't you already made quite a few preparations?"
The air fell silent for a few seconds.
Urahara Kisuke neither denied nor admitted it. He just stood there in silence, his hat obscuring most of his face, making it impossible to read his expression.
Asakura Yoh looked at him and suddenly chuckled.
"Heh—"
There was a hint of helplessness and sincerity in that smile.
"Rest easy. You're probably one of the people I'd least like to have as an enemy in this world."
The moment those words fell, Urahara Kisuke's expression instantly reverted to its usual self.
"Oh my, oh my! To receive such high praise from Mr. Asakura, I'm truly honored!"
Asakura Yoh turned away with a look of disgust.
"Drop it."
His voice was mostly swallowed by the hum of the Senkaimon.
With his back to Urahara Kisuke, Asakura Yoh's expression hardened. He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and focused all his attention deep within his body.
Furyoku began to surge.
The power awakened from the depths of his being, flowing through his meridians and gathering in his limbs. He slowly raised his left hand toward the Senkaimon.
The moment his fingertips touched the gate's frame, a faint repulsive force pushed back.
As if something was rejecting him.
Asakura Yoh frowned slightly and increased the output of Furyoku. Blue flames of energy ignited at his fingertips, and the repulsive force was gradually suppressed, growing weaker and fainter.
'Just as I thought...'
'It's just like it said in the notes.'
'Will the Soul Society... reject a soul from the Asakura family?'
He hesitated no longer and stepped into the light.
[ Author's Note : If you're loving the story, a power_stone, review or comment means the world!
Want 40+ chapters ahead right now? patre0n.c0m/Royal_ink ]